the graceless

[instar]

Bella sits out, this year as every year, from gym class. It's just asking for a lawsuit. She does stretches and crunches and push-ups in the corner.

Comments

[pandion]

(Andi drowns hers in ranch.)

[aeskhyne]

Trouble does not go for his salad. Or for any baby carrots.

[kindestgarden]

Eventually everyone has finished eating. Renée gets up and puts the leftover bean stew in a Tupperware. "We also have vinaigrette if you'd rather that than ranch," she tells Trouble.

[aeskhyne]

"Nah," says Trouble.

[kindestgarden]

Renée sits back down.

The pie cools on the counter.

[pandion]

"When she says everyone that is what she means," Andi whispers across the table, "like, she won't cut the pie until everyone is ready for dessert, because that wouldn't be fair."

[aeskhyne]

...Trouble raises his eyebrows incredulously.

[kindestgarden]

"Not everyone eats as quickly as you do, Andi," says Renée. "If you're bored you don't have to sit at the table, I'll call you when it's time for dessert."

[sundayfish]

The phone rings.

[instar]

Bella gets it.

"Hello?" Beat. "Hi, dad. Yeah. Bean stew. And a friend from school's over, he brought a - what? No. Dad, it is possible to make new friends without belonging to The Sharing. It's not even - Dad - Dad - you know I hate it when - Dad - I'll give you to Andi, okay?" She hands the phone over.

[pandion]

Andi takes it.

"Hi, Dad. No, he's pretty much Bella's friend. I'm having Meg over on Thursday though. Mm-hm. Yeah. Do you want to talk to Mom? No. Okay. Bye." She hangs up the phone and gives it back to Bella to return to its cradle on the wall.

[aeskhyne]

Trouble watches this whole process curiously.

[pandion]

"Are you going to eat your salad?" Andi asks Trouble.

[aeskhyne]

"Nope," says Trouble.

[kindestgarden]

"Why not?" asks Renée.

[aeskhyne]

"Don't feel like it," says Trouble.

[kindestgarden]

"It's nutritionally important to eat a well-balanced diet," says Renée. "If you only take care of yourself when you happen to feel like it, you'll get sick. You're not my child, so I can't make you eat what you're served, but I think you should."

[aeskhyne]

Trouble shrugs. "And I don't feel like it."

[kindestgarden]

Renée picks up his bowl of salad, puts plastic wrap over it, sticks it in the fridge, and touches the side of the pie plate to see if it's cool.

[aeskhyne]

It's just barely still warm.

[kindestgarden]

She starts cutting slices. The twins get the first two, Trouble gets one, and then she sits down with a sliver of her own.

[aeskhyne]

Mmmmm. Pie.

It is delicious.

[instar]

"This is very good. Thanks for making it," Bella says.

[aeskhyne]

"You're welcome," says Trouble.

[kindestgarden]

"I'd like a copy of your recipe," agrees Renée.